Discussion

• @chrissyfarr Christina Farr on x

  Google: “It's understandable that people want to ask questions about our work with Ascension.” https://cloud.google.com/...

• @geraldfseib Gerald F Seib on x

  WSJ scoop: Unbeknownst to patients, Google has worked with the Ascension health system to get access to patient data, including lab results, doctor diagnoses and hospitalization records, with patient names and dates of birth. https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ

• @nikillinit Nikhil Krishnan on x

  FWIW, most healthcare entities that plug-in to your provider do this. This is a very regular occurrence, but most people don't know or have never interacted with those companies. Google is just a name people know https://twitter.com/...

• @mikeisaac Rat King on x

  honestly wonder if this nukes the fitbit deal https://twitter.com/...

• @laura_nelson Laura J. Nelson on x

  A @wsj bombshell: Google is collecting and analyzing health records from tens of millions of Americans in 21 states through an agreement with the country's second-largest healthcare system, the story says. Patients and doctors haven't been informed. https://www.wsj.com/...

• @realrobcopeland Rob Copeland on x

  Something you might not expect about Google's secret “Project Nightingale,” hoovering up patient health data across 21 states. Google is doing the work for free. https://www.wsj.com/... pic.twitter.com/jTLpTrXdB1

• @alexrkonrad Alex Konrad on x

  My colleagues @jillianiles and @leah_rosenbaum have been looking into the Google + medical records story just broke by the WSJ for the past few days. They've got a lot more info on the program called “Nightingale,” including screenshots, here: https://www.forbes.com/...

• @j__velasquez Josefa Velsquez on x

  “privacy experts said it appeared to be permissible under federal law.” Thanks HIPPA https://twitter.com/...

• @bydavidgardner David Gardner on x

  People are worried about the government ruining health care. But the private sector is worse, and there is no democratic way to stop companies like Google. https://twitter.com/...

• @charles_gaba @charles_gaba on x

  Isn't this a MASSIVE HIPPA violation? https://twitter.com/...

• @matthew_d_green Matthew Green on x

  When I worked on electronic health record security under a grant from ONC/HHS I couldn't get anywhere near real patient data (to the hospitals' credit). But when Google asks... https://www.theverge.com/...

• @yasmeen_azadi Yasmeen Shorish on x

  We're out here chasing after ethics education in data science while AI applications are being deployed in secret and potentially problematic ways. The lack of disclosure to patients and doctors is completely inexcusable. https://twitter.com/...

• @davemcclure Dave McClure on x

  people [over-]reacting to Google having access to healthcare data should prob do their hwk + learn what #HIPAA really says + learn what data *existing* healthcare & insurance co's have access to already. (after which, you might be more alarmed about other entities than Google) ht…

• @ascensionorg Ascension on x

  Ascension is working with @Google to improve the experience of patients and consumers, as well as doctors and employees, and advance its Mission of providing compassionate, personalized care to all, especially those most vulnerable and living in poverty. https://www.ascension.org…

• @zakkohane Isaac Kohane on x

  Love 2 C consent form patients @Ascensionorg sign when they register. Do they understand their re-identifiable data can be shared with all contracted third parties? Including those “most vulnerable and living in poverty” https://www.ascension.org/... CC @wilbanks @BraveBosom http…

• @eilperin Juliet Eilperin on x

  The fact that it's called “Project Nightingale” makes the whole thing even spookier https://twitter.com/...

• @farzad_md Farzad Mostashari on x

  Here's the thing. 1/ The perception of Google culture is that no-one curbs the curiosity of engineers Google can sign a BAA, but they have to convince people that they actually have controls in place to ensure that the data is only being used for the purposes of the agreement htt…

• @vickerysec Chris Vickery on x

  Lawmakers need to, right now, put some teeth in the consequences for future abuse of this data: https://www.wsj.com/... It'll happen if it is not already happening. Put them on notice. Add in mandatory minimum prison time for execs and other employees responsible for any abuses.

• @sarahkliff Sarah Kliff on x

  Weird how Google can collect millions of patient records from hospitals, yet when I ask about patient info I'm constantly told “we can't talk to you because of HIPAA” 😐 https://twitter.com/...

• @jrovner Julie Rovner on x

  1) this is apparently perfectly legal. 2) What could possibly go wrong? https://www.wsj.com/...

• @khanoisseur @khanoisseur on x

  Google collecting health data via hospital partners is not illegal. Clinton-era Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 allows hospitals to share data with business partners without telling patients “to help covered entity carry out its health care functions.”…

• @elizabeth_joh Elizabeth Joh on x

  Yes everyone let's all feel good about that Fitbit we're def not sharing your data promise https://twitter.com/...

• @alexanderchee Alexander Chee on x

  “Neither patients nor doctors have been notified. At least 150 Google employees already have access to much of the data on tens of millions of patients, according to a person familiar with the matter and documents.” https://twitter.com/...

• @atulacharya Atul Acharya on x

  Apropos of Fitbit acq, and now this with Ascension. Google: All your (health) data are belong to us. 💉💊👩‍ 🔬👨‍🔬 📈🔜💸💰 Not sure what part is more alarming: Not informing consumers, nor doctors, or that this is health data. https://twitter.com/...

• @susanthesquark Susan Fowler on x

  The naming on this is really something 😬 https://twitter.com/...

• @pnjaban Harmeet K. Dhillon on x

  Wow — this is downright alarming. Do you trust Google with your blood test results, diagnoses, sensitive health information? Google's secret “Project Nightingale” gathers personal health data on millions of Americans https://www.wsj.com/... via @WSJ

• @paldhous Peter Aldhous on x

  Google's Secret ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans - WSJ https://www.wsj.com/...

• @zackwhittaker Zack Whittaker on x

  “Google is teaming with one of the country's largest health-care systems on a secret project to collect and crunch the detailed personal health information of millions of Americans across 21 states.” Thanks. I hate it. https://www.wsj.com/...

• @felixsalmon Felix Salmon on x

  “At least 150 Google employees already have access to much of the data on tens of millions of patients”: https://www.wsj.com/...